• Name: Ryan Colin Davies

• Age: 21

• Sport: Bowls

• Represented teams: Radnorshire indoor bowls and Beaufort outdoor bowls

 

Big Wins:

• Won one Silver medal and three Bronze medals over four years representing Wales at the u.18s home nations.
• Won the home nations indoors and outdoors with the Welsh team on separate occasions
• The first person ever to hold both Welsh indoor and Welsh outdoor u.25s singles titles in the same year

 

Tell us a bit about your early days as a bowls player up to today.

At three years of age I started playing in the living room with my grandad with a tiny set of carpet bowls. Then as soon as I became physically strong enough at 6 years old, I started playing in the men’s team at Ystrad Mynach outdoor bowls club. Whilst there I won the u.18s county singles at the age of 12.

I moved to Llanbradach Bowls Club and made my debut in the Welsh u.18s and Welsh u.25s team both indoors and outdoors which was such an amazing feeling not just for me but for all my family that had supported me and driven me all over the country playing in various tournaments.

I was then asked to join one of the biggest clubs in the country; Penylan Bowls club, where I went on to win the National Team championships, County triples, county fours, and county u.18s singles. I stayed at this club for 2 years and then joined Beaufort Bowls, a club that was over an hour away from where I’m living (Llandrindod Wells) to maintain the high level and standard that I was playing at. Whilst at the club I won the Welsh u.25s.

For the indoor season I played at Islwyn Indoor Bowls and won several u.16s Welsh tournaments in both the pairs and fours disciplines. Then for my outdoor season, I moved to play for Cardiff indoor bowls for one season, and then moved to play for Radnorshire indoor bowls (my current club), where I managed to win the Welsh indoor U.25s singles.

I also gained my first full senior international cap for Wales where I was able to play alongside and against several commonwealth games medallists.

 

What are you most proud of to date in your career?

– Holding both Welsh U.25 indoor and outdoor singles titles 

– Winning the National Team championships

– Earning my full International cap last year 

– Being selected as one of the 12 people from across Wales to trial for the world championships later this year

 

Where do you hope to be in five years?

My dream is to make the next commonwealth games in 2026. As well as I hope to have captained the Welsh u.25 team both indoor and outdoor, and to eventually have had the opportunity to play bowls in Australia.

 

What are your main strengths?

My total dedication to the sport. I’m also driven and focused on achieving my annual goals. I have a passion to win in every event I play.

 

Who is your biggest inspiration in your sport?

My biggest inspiration in the game has to be the likes of Robert Weale (Welsh) and Alex Marshal (Scottish). What they have done and achieved in the game is simply phenomenal, across all disciplines and aspects of the game – its mind blowing.

On a slightly different perspective my family as they got me into this sport, but also my partner as without her support and patience given how much time this sport takes up. Everything that I achieve is a dedication to them, so they constantly inspire me to do better not just for myself but for them as well.

 

What are the next steps/moves in your career?

I would like to consistently win open national tournaments after losing in two semi-finals last year. I’d like to look at going that extra step now.

Following on from the U.25s win I now will represent Wales at the British Isles where I will play the U.25s singles winners from all of the other home nations, so winning that would be a truly amazing feeling!